Best Games Like Borderlands

Shooter-looter Borderlands 3 and, to a lesser extent, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands are brimming with content, but some gamers can plow through even the beefiest games in a matter of days. For something to play between entries in the franchise, the following discussion will present several awesome games similar to Borderlands.

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Given how unique Gearbox’s franchise is, none of the games listed are carbon copies, but they all share some elements with it, whether it be the art style, gameplay mechanics, or the addictive cycle of collecting better gear. Besides, trying to exactly replicate Borderlands is a foolish endeavor, since the series does it so well in the first place.

Updated on January 7, 2025 by Mark Sammut: While looter shooters like Borderlands do not come out often, this month might produce two projects that could hit the mark: Synduality Echo of Ada and Endless Alice. As they are not available yet, it is too early to say if they will be worth recommending, but they are at least worth monitoring. Also, Borderlands 4 is confirmed to be in the works, with a 2025 debut seeming likely. For all the criticism Borderlands 3 and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands received, they are still good games overall, with by far the strongest gunplay in the franchise.

To help pass the time while waiting for Borderlands 4, another recommendation has been added. To be honest, this game is not that similar to Gearbox’s series in most areas, but it is one of the few projects that can match Borderlands’ love for loot. Click below to jump directly to this title.

21

Grim Dawn

Dark Fantasy RPG With All The Loot

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Grim Dawn

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Released

February 25, 2016

Developer(s)

Crate Entertainment

Fans of Diablo‘s gameplay will love what Grim Dawn has to offer, with its simple yet engaging gameplay making it worth checking out for any fan of amazing action RPGs that focus on getting as much loot as possible. Many people may find this game to be pretty different from the Borderlands series in every way, with their tone, setting, and gameplay being quite different in many ways.

However, that patented dopamine rush that players feel when bagging a rare piece of loot in this game is pretty similar to the Borderlands series. The looter-shooter gameplay may be fun, but some fans can get tired of playing through titles with this same kind of gameplay over and over again… which is why a title like Grim Dawn can feel like a breath of fresh air!

20

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

Visceral Gunplay In A Superhero Coat Of Paint

Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has its issues. The game launched to a mediocre reception, which was reflected by an underwhelming Steam player count. The game’s future does not look particularly promising, although there is always hope that things could turn around with a few updates. Still, at the moment, Suicide Squad cannot be recommended as a live-service project; however, as a single-player experience that can keep something engaged for 15 hours or so, the game gets the job done. Considering the developer’s pedigree, the campaign is at its best when focusing on the story and the main characters. While not among Rocksteady’s strongest offerings, both elements are inoffensive and overall entertaining.

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The combat is more of a mixed bag, at least depending on what somebody is craving. In a polarizing move, all playable characters utilize guns, a decision that was presumably made to complement a looter shooter system. Consequently, Suicide Squad showers players with new weapons frequently, although they are not quite as creative as Borderlands‘ arsenal. The anti-heroes all have different movement skills that reflect their powers or personalities, so they are not complete copies of each other, even if they still play fairly similarly. Even if the gameplay is not what everyone wants, the minute-to-minute action can be fun regardless.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is one of those games that could be worth picking up when it is on sale or if it joins a subscription service. Otherwise, only die-hard DC fans should give this a look.

19

Nioh 2

An Action RPG With Seemingly Infinite Loot

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It probably does not need to be said, but Nioh 2 is nothing like Borderlands on nearly every level. Team Ninja’s game is a tough-as-nails action RPG that focuses primarily on melee combat, with ranged weapons being secondary. The game (and its predecessor) takes obvious inspiration from Dark Souls, although the combat is far more fast-paced and in line with Team Ninja’s earlier releases. The very long campaign follows a mission-based structure that drops players into sections of a map that they can explore to an extent, and they nearly always culminate in an epic and challenging boss fight. The game has almost no humor, and the story can be hard to follow if somebody is not familiar with Japanese mythology or history.

Looking at the above, Nioh 2 seems to share nothing in common with Borderlands, but that is not 100% the case. Both games drown players in loot, with Team Ninja’s release pretty much constantly giving away new weapons, armor, and other items. Similar to Borderlands and Diablo, Nioh uses a tier system for its weapons and armor, along with randomly generated stats and benefits. Honestly, Nioh 2 almost has too much loot since players will very quickly find their inventories full, forcing them to get rid of items. Still, people who enjoy constantly trying out new weapons in Borderlands will likely get a kick out of Nioh 2, as long as they enjoy its combat.

18

Gunfire Reborn

Roguelite Shooter With Fun Loot System

There’s no better title to try out for fans of Borderlands than a game that is clearly inspired by it, with Gunfire Reborn being a blast to play through for a group of friends who just want to share a good time together. The roguelike structure of this game means that players will never get bored with playing through this title over and over again.

The game has a palpable sense of progression that helps players feel extremely powerful once they kit themselves out with a bunch of upgrades and powerful weapons. Gunfire Reborn is an excellent title that deserves a ton of love, even if many people feel like the gameplay loop becomes tiring after a point.

17

Risk Of Rain 2

Fantastic Roguelite Third-Person Shooter

There aren’t many games that nail a sequel as well as Risk of Rain 2 does… well, except maybe Borderlands 2. The first game is definitely fun in its own right, but the slew of improvements and refined gameplay Risk of Rain 2 brings to the table make it clear why this roguelite third-person shooter became so incredibly popular.

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As the game gets more and more difficult with each level, players must engage in some tight teamwork and try to conserve their health as much as possible while dealing with powerful enemies. These deadly foes can take out the enemy in no time flat, making it imperative to purchase new weapons and improve existing ones to make them even more powerful!

16

Outriders

A Fun Co-Op Third-Person Shooter

Whether something can be described directly as a live service game or simply a cooperative shooter with regular updates is sometimes hard to parse. Outriders certainly falls into this camp. The game is built around cooperative play and requires players to be online at all times, yet it has a fairly definitive campaign that can be finished within the length of most average shooters.

This can be good or bad depending on the type of gamer, but it is just good to know what type of game it is before going in. Updates and expansions have come out since its initial release, but it is nothing on the level of an average live service game. Like Borderlands, this is an adventure best done with friends.

15

Rage 2

Open-World + Doom-Style Gunplay

The sequel to Id Software’s 2011 FPS has the same dark charm as the cel-shaded shooter franchise. The brutally chaotic barren waste is looked at through a tongue-in-cheek lens.

A couple of principal differences between Rage 2 and Borderlands are the setting – a post-apocalyptic planet Earth – and the lack of multiplayer, so one will have to solo when destroying enemy camps. Avalanche Games worked in conjunction with Id on this project, giving it a similar open-world destructive flare to their Just Cause series.

14

Dead Island 2

Gory, Silly Zombie Fun

All Dead Island games are solid recommendations for Borderlands fans, but the 2023 sequel arguably has the closest tone and sense of humor. While the series never takes itself too seriously, Dead Island 2 revels in the absurdity far more than its predecessors. Set in Los Angeles following a zombie outbreak, the story guides players through semi-open areas that provide some room for exploration but are also quite linear.

Killing zombies has never felt as good as it does in Dead Island 2, with Dambuster delivering a satisfying combat system with impeccable gore and some build variety. While ranged weapons are available, the game focuses more on close-quarters action. Similar to Borderlands, Dead Island 2 supports online co-op, although it is limited to three players.

13

Plants Vs. Zombies: Battle For Neighborville

Something For The Kids

All of these shooter games are awesome, but there’s nothing for the kids. Many people still play M-rated products, but should those forbidden to play them be left in the dust? Thankfully, Plants Vs. Zombies: Battle For Neighborville is here to heed the call.

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Unlike the Garden Warfare title leading up to it, Battle For Neighborville is a larger, cooperative-focused experience where parties tackle missions from characters on a hub. Each plant is a different class, making teamwork and preparation vital to a mission’s success. Don’t be fooled by the cute aesthetic; some parts of the adventure will punish those who aren’t on their toes.

12

Fallout 4

An Earth-Based Wasteland

The older Fallout games are timeless classics, but Fallout 4 makes it on the list for the changes it makes to the formula. Instead of shaping the narrative through choices and ethical dilemmas, the 2015 game instead switches focus to exploration and combat.

Some bemoaned this change in identity, but it feels more like a dungeon crawler these days, making it more akin to Borderlands than the prior titles. Narrative and dialog still feature heavily throughout the story, though, so veteran fans aren’t left completely in the dust. If players are hankering for a multiplayer title, then they can jump into Fallout 76. This newer title had an admittedly rocky launch, but it has been much improved upon since its release and has plenty of content to devour with friends.

11

Destiny 2

Tight Gunplay, Plenty Of Loot

Bungie’s ambitious multiplayer shooter took a while to find its footing, but now it’s in a better place than ever. Much of the content is free-to-play, meaning newcomers can enjoy dozens of gameplay hours before having to fork up a dime.

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By then, its hooks will be so deep in the player, they won’t mind ponying up some cash to keep going. The distinct advantage Destiny has over other multiplayer shooters of its ilk is the near-perfect shooting mechanics. One would expect nothing less from the makers of Halo, after all.

10

Roboquest

Roguelite Robot FPS Mayhem

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Released

November 7, 2023

Developer

RyseUp Studios

After a few years in early access, Roboquest finally made its long-awaited debut in November 2023, coming out to a decent reception. The development cycle certainly helped the game maximize its potential, allowing it to build on its strong core ideas to provide an overall very enjoyable experience. As a roguelite, repetition is central to the experience, although death does not result in a return to square one. Players will regularly be upgrading their camps to unlock new robots/characters and weapons that will drop during runs, so there is a constant sense of progression even if players are shooting their way through the same few maps over and over again.

Roboquest‘s loot is not quite on the same level as Borderlands, but the weapons are fun to use and distinct enough from each other to justify their existence. The visuals are also somewhat similar to Gearbox’s franchise, and the same can be said for the alien-esque world. More importantly, Roboquest‘s gunplay is rock-solid, offering fast-paced and satisfying action that rarely lets up.

9

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2

Stuffed With Content & Lots Of Loot (Albeit Fairly Grounded)

The first Division launched to a rough start, but the developer kept their heads down and worked to bring the product to quality. With The Division 2, they used all those lessons previously learned to give fans a great game out of the gate.

The ruined Washington DC setting makes for the perfect backdrop to the chaos occurring throughout the world. The multiplayer shooter has something for everyone. Newcomers tackle the story missions with friends, while hardcore players can spend their time in Dark Zones, where the stakes are high but the loot is more valuable.

8

Remnant 2

Soulslike Co-Op Shooter

Soulslike games are, naturally, very different from Borderlands, but they tend to be decent picks if someone is craving loot. Unlike most of the entries in the subgenre, Gunfire’s Remnant focuses on ranged combat, with melee serving as a secondary option rather than the core appeal. As good as Remnant: From the Ashes is, its sequel is the better overall package, even if it did have some issues at launch. Remnant 2 sends players on a surprisingly varied adventure as they travel to different universes to fight the root, and each of these worlds has a unique aesthetic and enemies that set it apart from the rest.

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With a few archetypes to pick from (along with unlockable ones), Remnant 2 emphasizes character customization and builds through a solid progression system and stat-based loot. While weapons and armor generally have to be purchased, players regularly pick up other items like amulets and rings that provide a wide range of benefits. It is not quite the same thing as Borderlands, but it works well enough. Crucially, Remnant 2 is a fantastic co-op option, to the point that the project is arguably designed around it. However, the game does not ignore solo players either.

7

Dying Light

Parkour Through A Zombie Hellscape

Techland left the Dead Island IP behind and started a new zombie survival series. Dying Light takes all the best things from its spiritual predecessor and fixes all the jankiness. Additionally, movement is highly improved, with players given the ability to jump and run across rooftops while avoiding the undead.

For players who have also exhausted all of Dying Light’s content, there is always Dying Light 2 for them to dive into. It maintains much of what made the first game special but reduces the survival horror aspect, so fans will probably not be disappointed. It had an arduous development cycle, but when it came out many were satisfied with its quality.

6

Mad Max

Magnum Opus

Any movie or game that takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland was probably influenced by Mad Max, be it directly or indirectly. While Borderlands has a well-defined identity that sets it apart from other properties on the market, it certainly shares elements with George Miller’s legendary franchise. Coinciding with the release of Fury Road, Mad Max received a rare video game, one set in an impressive desert hellscape defined by lawlessness, fear, and desperation.

Avalanche Studios’ project has a few things going for it that warrant a recommendation to Borderlands fans. For one, the open-world is gorgeous and a great deal of fun to explore, largely thanks to the stellar driving. Unlike Gearbox’s franchise, Mad Max prioritizes vehicular combat, so much so that the main progression system revolves around upgrading a car (Max’s Magnum Opus). These sections represent the game at its kinetic best, delivering action-packed and cinematic sequences that rival the movies. The on-foot action does not reach the same heights, and the same can be said for the short-ranged combat.

5

Saints Row 4

Over-The-Top Silliness

While a more traditional open-world game than the looter-shooter action one finds in Borderlands, fans of the writing and atmosphere will find a lot to love in Saints Row 4. The third and fourth entries of the franchise are straightforward comedies filled with zany set pieces and unexpected pop culture references.

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Even when the jokes are not funny, they still lend to the overall jolly atmosphere. Best of all, the game can be tackled with a friend cooperatively. The newest entry in the franchise, titled Saints Row, tones down the inanity while still striving for the open-world mayhem for which the series is known. The reception to it was mixed, with many agreeing that the previous games are still the height of the franchise.

4

Left 4 Dead 2

Valve’s Definitive Co-Op Shooter

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Left 4 Dead 2

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November 17, 2009

Zombies have almost been played out, but that does not make the classics any less enjoyable. Left 4 Dead took gamers by storm with its intense cooperative mayhem. Despite all the love for the franchise, players never received a third game in the franchise.

Even though the game is over a decade old, it is still a pleasure to revisit the classic on PC or Xbox 360. In fact, it was still receiving updates up to a couple of years ago and fans regularly support it.

3

Diablo 4

Borderlands But With Swords

When it first debuted, Borderlands was often described as Diablo with guns, with both franchises revolving around their weapon drop systems. Beyond loot, the series do not overlap extensively, but they share enough similarities to warrant a recommendation. Firstly, they are both fairly accessible RPGs that emphasize co-op, with Diablo 4‘s console iterations supporting both local and online. The campaigns can be played entirely with a few friends, and they are both far better in this mode. Even more so than Borderlands 3, Diablo 4 has an impressive class system that provides plenty of customization and build options, allowing players to craft characters that best suit their playstyles.

Now, Diablo has never particularly prioritized its story, which is not that far removed from the original Borderlands. Diablo 4 does push its narrative slightly more, but the main quest is mostly just there to keep someone busy until they enter the endgame and an endless grind for loot. Similar to Borderlands 3‘s Mayhem Mode, Diablo 4‘s post-story content largely revolves around completing the same dungeons and modes (all the while increasing the World Tier).

Ultimately, Diablo is a worthwhile option for Borderlands fans, provided they enjoy isometric action RPGs to an extent. All four games have their positives, and Diablo 4 only got picked due to being the most recent.

2

Far Cry 5

Great Gunplay, Good Story

RPGs and first-person shooters have become closer and closer as the years go by. The Far Cry series mostly eschews loot, but players explore a large open-world environment while upgrading their character through leveling up.

Cooperative play is also available in the fourth and fifth entries. The narrative admittedly takes a backseat, but Far Cry 5 provides countless hours of mayhem in the American Midwest, an environment rarely explored in video games. True to the trend of changing environments and locations, Far Cry 6 takes place on a fictional Caribbean island where players have to take down a brutal dictator.